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Iowa (album)

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Iowa is the second studio album of American metal band Slipknot, released August 28 2001. The band's first major release since their self-titled Slipknot, it was band's second collaboration with producer Ross Robinson. The album's title is derived from the band's home state of Iowa. There was much anticipation from fans, resulting in Iowa premiering in top ten album sales in nine countries. Reviewed well by fans and critics alike, the album included many of the band's hits including "Left Behind" and "My Plague", which were both nominated for a Grammy Award. Hailed as the "absolute triumph of nu-metal,"[1] the album is more technical than their premiere; although is also considered to be the band's heaviest album. The album has been certified Platinum in Canada and the United States.

Album information

The album's title is a reference to the band's home state (most of the members still live relatively anonymously in Des Moines, Iowa). Band members have claimed that Iowa is the source of their energy and they consciously made the decision to stay in the area, somewhat due to the fear of losing their creative direction.[2] Prior to its release there was much speculation over the title of the album and Nine Men, One Mission was the expected title by some sources.[3] The title of the first song, "(515)", is the telephone area code for central Iowa, where Des Moines is located. "I Am Hated" was performed in the film Rollerball and later appeared in the 2003 video game Amplitude, "My Plague" was remixed for the Resident Evil soundtrack.

Recording and production

Iowa was recorded and produced at Sound City studios in Los Angeles, California with Ross Robinson.[2] On January 17, 2001, Slipknot entered the studio to work on their highly anticipated follow up to their debut album Slipknot.[3][4] Despite being a member of Slipknot since 1999, it was the first time guitarist Jim Root had been largely involved in a Slipknot album.[5] He joined the band during the later recording stages of Slipknot and subsequently became more involved with their next album.[3] During an interview with Guitar Magazine in November 2001 he explained that; "it was so exciting as well as scary to be part of this whole huge process", adding that there was a lot of pressure from fellow guitarist Mick Thomson to perform well on the record.[5] The album's initial release date was scheduled for June 19, 2001, which was to be preceded by a five-date warm-up tour.[6] However, the mixing of the album took longer than anticipated, causing the album to be pushed back until August and the cancellation of the tour.[7][6] The album was officially released on August 28, 2001. In support of the album, Slipknot toured with System Of A Down on the Pledge of Allegiance tour. However, the earliest dates were delayed due to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and The Pentagon.[4] However, the band did go on another tour with System Of A Down in which the band performed in Colombia, Mexico and The United States.

Music style and lyrical themes

The musical style of Slipknot is a constantly contested issue due to the variety of genres that their music seems to cover. Sources usually group Slipknot within nu-metal while also showing influences from other genres.[8] Prior to the album's release, band members were promising a much darker and heavier album than Slipknot, with its release many sources praised the band for achieving this and affectively meeting their promises.[7] During an interview in 2008, percussionist Shawn Crahan retrospectively evaluates their time creating the album, proclaiming that they owe their overtly darker sound to their state of mind during that period, "When we did "Iowa", we hated each other. We hated the world; the world hated us."[9] Iowa, unlike its predecessor, saw producer Ross Robinson capturing the band's technicality as opposed to the raw energy that Slipknot is known for.[10] Once again, the band was also praised for its use of their extensive line-up consisting of additional percussionists and electronics. NME stated that "every possible space is covered in scrawl and cymbals: guitars, percussion, electronic squall, subhuman screaming."[10] Although Iowa is widely regarded as the bands heaviest album to date, some tracks do include melody, most apparent in "Everything Ends" and the single "Left Behind", however these tracks are still considered heavy when compared to the likes of "Vermilion".[1]

Iowa follows the lyrical style that vocalist Corey Taylor established on its predecessor Slipknot; it includes strong use of metaphors to describe overtly dark themes including misanthropy, solipsism, disgust, anger, disaffection, psychosis and rejection.[10][11][12] The album also includes many expletives, Metal Observer said that the lyrics were "extremely juvenile" while Rolling Stone said "there is not much shock value left in the words fuck and shit, which Taylor uses in some variation more than forty times in Iowa's sixty-six minutes."[11][13] Amazon.com's official review said that his performance on the title track was "a deeply unsettling heavy-metal Midnight Rambler",[14] Rolling Stone also stated that the track is a "vivid evocation of a makeshift-cornfield grave at midnight".[11]

Track listing

All songs credited to Slipknot.

  1. "(515)" – 0:59
  2. "People = Shit" – 3:36
  3. "Disasterpiece" – 5:08
  4. "My Plague" – 3:40
  5. "Everything Ends" – 4:14
  6. "The Heretic Anthem" – 4:14
  7. "Gently" – 4:54
  8. "Left Behind" – 4:01
  9. "The Shape" – 3:38
  10. "I Am Hated" – 2:38
  11. "Skin Ticket" – 6:41
  12. "New Abortion" – 3:37
  13. "Metabolic" – 3:59
  14. "Iowa" – 15:04

Japanese bonus track

  2. "Liberate" (live) – 4:25

Reception

Following the huge success of their debut album Slipknot, anticipation for a follow up was intense.[4] In addition to this, band members were promising big things for the album. Prior to its release drummer Joey Jordison proclaimed; "Wait till you hear our fuckin' next record. It smokes our first album. The shit's twice as technical, three times as heavy."[7] Upon its release, the album was considered a huge success, meeting the expectations of the fans and the promises the band members alike. CMJ reviewed it as, "Brutal, unrelenting, scorching..."[15] Many reviews noted its heavy themes, the Alternative Press stated, "[it is] like having a plastic bag taped over your head for an hour while Satan uses your scrotum as a speedbag....[It] is over the top...you're going to be left in stitches".[16] NME said that it is "Exhilarating, brutal and good."[10] While Rolling Stone credited the album for its originality, "nearly everything else in modern doom rock sounds banal."[17] Producer Ross Robinson was also praised for his work on the album, Uncut noted; "The barely relenting, tumbling noise attack marshalled by nu-metal uber-producer Ross Robinson is expert."[18] Reviewing for Yahoo, John Mulvey said, "They're an evolutionary dead end, the final, absolute triumph of nu-metal."[1] A single from the album, "Left Behind", was nominated for the Best Metal Performance at the 2002 Grammy Awards.[19] Their second single from the album, "My Plague" was nominated for the same award at the 2003 Grammy Awards.[20] The album was also ranked the sixth in the "50 Albums of the year" by NME in 2001.[10] On October 10, 2001, the album was certified platinum in the United States.[21] In Canada, the Canadian Recording Industry Association certified the album as Platinum on September 5, 2001.[22] The British Phonographic Industry has certified the album as Gold in the UK.[23]

Chart positions

Album

Year Chart Peak Position
2001 UK Albums Chart 1[24]
2001 ARIA Charts 2[25]
2001 The Billboard 200 3[26]
2001 Finland Charts 3[27]
2001 Germany Charts 4[28]
2001 New Zealand Charts 5[29]
2001 France Charts 7[30]
2001 Austria Charts 8[31]
2001 Sweden Charts 10[32]
2001 Norway Charts 12[33]
2001 Switzerland Charts 13[34]
2001 Netherlands Charts 15[35]

Singles

Year Single Name Chart Peak Position
2001 "Left Behind" UK Singles Chart 24[24]
2001 "Left Behind" Mainstream Rock Tracks 30[36]

Personnel

All information is taken from the CD release of Iowa:[37]

References

  1. ^ a b c Mulvey, John (2001-23-08). "Slipknot - Iowa". Yahoo Music. Retrieved 2008-03-21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  2. ^ a b More Maximum Slipknot, The unauthorised biography of Slipknot, Chrome Dreams, 2004 CD
  3. ^ a b c Arnopp, Jason (2001), Slipknot: Inside the Sickness, Behind the Masks, Ebury, ISBN 0091879337
  4. ^ a b c Porter, Dick (2003). Rapcore: The Nu-Metal Rap Fusion. Plexus, London. ISBN 0859653218.
  5. ^ a b "Wrecking crew". Guitar Magazine. 2001-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ a b McIver, Joel (2003), Slipknot: Unmasked (Again), Omnibus, ISBN 0711997640
  7. ^ a b c Udo, Tommy (2002), Brave Nu World, Cromwell, ISBN 186074415X
  8. ^ Huey, Steve. "Slipknot Biography". All Music Guide. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
  9. ^ "Slipknot's Clown Talks About Upcoming Album". Blabbermouth. 2008-01-09. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  10. ^ a b c d e Segal, Victoria (2001-22-08). "Slipknot: Iowa". NME. Retrieved 2008-03-21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help) Cite error: The named reference "NME" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  11. ^ a b c Fricke, David (2001-09-17). "Iowa album review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
  12. ^ "Iowa - Slipknot". MP3.com. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
  13. ^ "Review - Slipknot : Iowa". Metal Observer. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
  14. ^ Wills, Dominic. "Iowa Editorial Review". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
  15. ^ Iowa album review. CMJ. 2001-10-01. p. 13.
  16. ^ Iowa album review. Alternative Press. 2001-07. p. 75. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  17. ^ Iowa album review. Rolling Stone. 2001-11-10. p. 90.
  18. ^ Iowa album review. Uncut. 2001-11. p. 120. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  19. ^ "Slipknot's Paul Gray: "I Know System Of A Down Will Win Grammy"". Blabbermouth.net. 2002-02-27. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
  20. ^ "Grammy Awards Nominees Announced!". Blabbermouth.net. 2003-01-07. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
  21. ^ "Search for: Iowa". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
  22. ^ "Search for: Iowa". Canadian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
  23. ^ "Iowa Certified Awards". British Phonographic Industry. 2001-08-24. Retrieved 2008-02-10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  24. ^ a b "UK Top 40 Chart Archive, British Singles & Album Charts". everyhit.com. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
  25. ^ "Slipknot Australian Charts". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2008-02-09.
  26. ^ "Billboard.com Artist Chart History - Slipknot". Nielsen Business Media Incorporated. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  27. ^ "Slipknot Finnish Charting". finnishcharts.com. Retrieved 2008-02-09.
  28. ^ "Slipknot Germany Chart history". Musicline.de. Retrieved 2008-02-09.
  29. ^ "Slipknot New Zealand Charting". Charts.org. Retrieved 2008-02-09.
  30. ^ "Slipknot French Album Charting". lescharts.com. Retrieved 2008-02-09.
  31. ^ "Suche nach: Slipknot". AustrianCharts.at. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
  32. ^ "Search for: Slipknot". SwedishCharts.com. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
  33. ^ "Search for: Slipknot". NorwegianCharts.com. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
  34. ^ "Suche nach: Slipknot". HitParade.ch. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
  35. ^ "Search for: Slipknot". DutchCharts.nl. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
  36. ^ "Billboard.com Artist Chart History - Slipknot". Nielsen Business Media Incorporated. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  37. ^ Iowa CD Inlay booklet, Roadrunner Records, 2001-08-28
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